As he went to shake Trump’s hand, the president mentioned that in his experience there were “a lot of crooks” in Panama. De Dianous died in 2021 and never sought to publicize or draw attention to the moment.

In the 1970s, a conservative coalition came together to fight ceding control of the Panama Canal—proving the political potency of the issue.

Donald Trump’s threat to forcibly retake the Panama Canal would target a waterway that generates $2.5 billion in annual revenue for Panama and handles 5% of global maritime trade, raising alarm about potential disruption to international commerce.

President-elect Donald Trump’s threats over the Panama Canal may be rooted in his decades-long views of the country, forged by his own attempts to do business there. CNN’s Phil Mattingly reports.

After President Jimmy Carter's death at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump argued that one of Carter's biggest mistakes was giving the Panama Canal to Panama back in 1977.

Analysts believe takeover comments could be aimed at getting lower fees, but they could also push Panama to embrace China